The 66K sewing machine

Singer Manufacturing Company1929

Musée des arts et métiers

Sewing machines ushered the machine age into the home. The first were intended for garment workshops, but that changed in the mid-19th century when American Isaac Merritt Singer introduced the double-thread bobbin shuttle and a needle that moved up and down before starting the mass production of sewing machines in 1851. Interchangeable parts, the possibility of selling the machines back to the company, the option of buying them on an instalment plan and aggressive advertising drove down production costs and helped Singer win markets in the United States and Europe. The 66K was designed ca. 1900. Despite its high price, the model was considerably successful : it was fast, sturdy and easy to use. Singer manufactured several variations, including this one with Egyptian lotus motifs.